Spiritual highlights

Travellers who seek out places and routes that are more than "just" little getaways from everyday life will have already discovered extraordinary experiences for themselves. You will find the highlights among them – places steeped in history, symbolic spots and locations with a very special atmosphere – here. Relish these special moments on your spiritual journey.

The New Synagogue in Mainz is still young, its consecration dating back to just 2010. Nevertheless, the Jewish community of Mainz has been around for much longer: the first written mention dates back to 917. They have experienced a long history of prestige and power, persecution and devastation. So the New Synagogue is more than "just" a house of God.

Its tower is the emblem of the city, commonly referred to as "the Michel": St. Michael's Church and its unmistakable copper roof is one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in northern Germany. Night tours of the tower also afford visitors glorious views of the Hanseatic city beneath the starry sky.

Wies Church – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a slice of heaven on Earth

Pilgrims see it as a place of hope for prayers being answered; others view it as a place of silence, prayer and contemplation: Wies Church, also known as the Pilgrimage Church of the Scourged Saviour in Wies, near the town of Steingaden in Bavaria, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Rococo masterpiece. It is strikingly impressive, and truly moves visitors.

The Church of Our Lady in Dresden – an architectural masterpiece and memorial

A strikingly beautiful building and memorial in one: the Church of Our Lady in Dresden is more than just a house of God. It is a place for meeting and reconciliation, and is considered a symbol of peace the world over.

The history of St. Peter's Cathedral in Bremen is characterised by construction and destruction. It has borne witness to Christian life, as well as political misconduct – the cathedral's doors attest to this. It is a memorial, a place of hope beyond the grave and contemplation outside in the bible garden, the former cloister on the cathedral's south side.

The Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Hildesheim – cultural heritage caught between two worlds

New splendour for one of Germany's oldest episcopal churches: the renovated Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Hildesheim is a successful synergy of old and new. It acts as a major stage for valuable art treasures with a modest backdrop. A UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site shrouded in legend...

In St. Anne's Museum Quarter in Lübeck, church and art come together in the most extraordinary way. The St. Anne's Kunsthalle art gallery, built on the foundations of the former abbey church, and St. Anne's Museum in Lübeck have joined forces to become the new site for religion, art and society.

With its Romanesque and early Gothic buildings, Eberbach Abbey is one of the most prominent art monuments in Europe. Yet the former Cistercian abbey has become a household name for its wines, which were once produced by the monks and have transformed the abbey into Germany's largest wine estate over the centuries.

"Ora et labora" (pray and work): the Cistercian monks had a massive influence over life at Maulbronn Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Northern Black Forest, for more than 400 years. Visitors can still pray there today, and experience history up close.

The Externsteine rock formations – a grandiose and mystical spectacle of nature

The Externsteine, a unique and bizarre set of rock formations near Horn-Bad Meinberg in the Principality of Lippe, are a medieval sacred site and a grandiose spectacle of nature to behold and climb. This is the ideal place to feel grounded.

The Witches' Dance Floor in the Harz Mountains – a magical place with cult status caught between past and present

Legend or history? There are many mystical tales involving the Witches' Dance Floor in the Harz Mountains, situated high above the Bode Gorge in Saxony-Anhalt. Legend has it that it's also an Old Saxon and Germanic cult site.

It is almost 1,000 years old and rose to fame as Martin Luther's refuge: very few castles are as closely associated with German history as Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, Thuringia. It offers history, art and culture at every turn.

The Room of Silence – a place of reflection open to all in the heart of Berlin

The Room of Silence in Brandenburg Gate is a tranquil oasis in the heart of Berlin. It is a place to take pause, have a moment of contemplation and find yourself. A historic site to be at peace – with yourself and the world.

St. James' Way: Via Baltica – where boundaries lose all sense of meaning

The Via Baltica is a St. James' Way route from the Baltic region to Westphalia. It connects east and west for pilgrims who want to start at the Polish border and cross into five German federal states, bringing Europe a little closer together in the process.

Pilgrimagesin Germany

The St. James' Way route from Speyer to Metz – where boundaries lose all meaning

Pilgrimages to promote international understanding: on the St. James' Way route from Speyer to Metz, it is clear that cross-border thought is not an invention of the modern era. But don't let this discourage you from making a conscious effort to give it a go. There is plenty of time to think on the roughly 290 km route through one of Germany's most beautiful regions.

St. Nicholas' Church, or the Church of the Holy Blood, in Bad Wilsnack was once considered the "Santiago of northern Europe" and is the final destination on the Berlin - Bad Wilsnack pilgrimage route. Although the legendary bleeding hosts fell victim to the flames, visitors can still sense the importance once attached to the church.